Reimagining Your Library Space: How to Transform Student Learning

@DianaLRendina * RenovatedLearning.com
How to
REIMAGINING
Diana Rendina, MLIS
Teacher Librarian, Speaker, Writer
@DianaLRendina
RenovatedLearning.com
Your Library Space
TRANSFORM
Student Learning

DIANA RENDINA, MLIS
• Teacher Librarian at Tampa
Preparatory School, 6-12
independent, since 2017
• Media Specialist at Stewart
Middle Magnet School in
Tampa, FL from 2010-2017
• Blogger @ RenovatedLearning
• 2016 ISTE Outstanding Young
Educator
Portrait by Ally Twarog

Introduce yourself and share
your most favorite and least
favorite things about your
library space.

STEWART’S
STORY
The dark,
neglected cave

About Stewart
• Public STEM Magnet Middle School
• Hillsborough County Public Schools (8th largest
district in USA)
• Grades 6-8
• Urban location near downtown Tampa
• Title 1 - 75% of students on free or reduced
lunch

STEWART CIRCA 2010

Clu
tt
ered, neglected spaces

Too much furniture, weird layouts

Heavy tables, and too many

The only STEM in our library

Problems the space created
Mee
ti
ng setups
clu
tt
ered space

Safety
hazards

No access to
these books
during book fairs

Clu
tt
er,
fi
re hazards
during special events

TRANSFORMATION
From “Dark Cave”
to “Vibrant Maker
Hub”

Our Makerspace was the spark…

BEFORE…

TRANSFORMATION - 2014

TRANSFORMATION
How did we fund it?

LOWES TOOLBOX GRANT: Paint

LOWES TOOLBOX: Tables + Chairs

DONORSCHOOSE: LEGO Wall

DONORSCHOOSE: Hokki Stools

DONORSCHOOSE: Whiteboard Wall

SCHOLASTIC BOOKFAIR:Chairs + Rug

SCHOLASTIC BOOKFAIR: Carts

DISCRETIONARY FUNDS

GARAGE SALE
$20!

TAMPA PREPARATORY SCHOOL

ABOUT TAMPA PREP
• Independent 6-12 co-ed college prep school
founded in downtown Tampa in 1974
• 675 students
• 1:1 iPad, Active Learning Environments
• Current building was constructed in 2002
• Library was partially renovated in 2016

Library as lecture hall
Special event &
lecture layout - tables
are behind the curtain

Collec
ti
on needed update

No variety in learning zones

Star
ti
ng the transforma
ti
on…

Tables rearranged for collabora
ti
on

Storage area to study nook

Charging sta
ti
ons

Out with the old, in with the new

Furniture tryouts from KI

Genrefying the
fi
c
ti
on sec
ti
on

The IDEAlab

Maker Mondays

Media.scape = Wri
ti
ng Center

Academic Support O
ffi
ces

De-emphasizing Dewey

Se
tti
ng a vision for the space
Floorplan & furniture from Mien

What is one idea you’ve seen
so far that you would like try
in your space?

LEARNING SPACE
DESIGN THEORY
Ac
ti
ve Learning Spaces

SMALL GROUP AREAS
Discussion, brainstorming

LARGE GROUP AREAS
Whole class instruc
ti
on, presenta
ti
ons

COMMUNITY AREA
Special events, parent mee
ti
ngs, etc

TECHNOLOGY-RICH AREAS
Coding, VR, Podcas
ti
ng, etc

QUIET, SOLITARY AREAS
Reading, wri
ti
ng, re
fl
ec
ti
on

MAKERSPACES
Access to hands-on materials

Which of these types of
spaces do you already have?
Where could you improve?
Small Group /
/ Large Group /
/ Community
Technology-Rich /
/ Quiet, Solitary /
/ Makerspaces

HACKING
YOUR
LIBRARY:
Advice for
Rethinking
your space

DOCUMENT YOUR PROBLEMS
You need to iden
ti
fy what’s wrong

VISIT OTHER SPACES
Public Library

VISIT OTHER SPACES
Museums

VISIT OTHER SPACES
Other schools

VISIT OTHER SPACES
Inspira
ti
on can be anywhere

GET FRESH EYES
Have a visitor cri
ti
que your space

DO YOUR RESEARCH
Study Learning Space Design

DREAM UP POSSIBILITIES
What would your ideal be?

LOOK FOR THE ZONES
Where could they
fi
t?

LEARNING SPACE SURVEY
Include your community

GET PINSPIRED!
Create a virtual pinboard of ideas

FOCUS GROUP BRAINSTORMING
Visual idea
ti
on
Edutopia’s Remake Your Class

DRAW UP YOUR LAYOUT
Plan like an architect

Layout Crea
ti
on Challenge!
• 15-20 minutes
• At your table, select one library space that our
will focus on
• Using chart paper, markers and post-its, work
together to come up with a rough dra
ft
of
how the space is laid out
• Brainstorm ways that the space can be re-
arranged for be
tt
er
fl
ow
• Bonus: Iden
ti
fy where the six ac
ti
ve learning
spaces are present
• Be ready to share your space!

SEL, DEI, UDL
Rethinking our spaces and
how our students use them

SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING
O
ff
er a variety of sea
ti
ng
Strathcona HS in Edmonton, AB

Create calming environments

O
ff
er di
ff
erent noise levels

Community Building Spaces

INTERACTIVE SPACES
Allow for students to change the space

DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION
Is your library a safe space?
Recommended Resource: GLSEN

Can all students seem themselves in your collec
ti
on?
Recommended Resource:
Library Journal Diversity Audit Course

Does your signage and display spaces re
fl
ect all students?

UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING
Does your shelving create overwhelm?

Can all students access books, power, computers, etc?

Is there too much signage or not enough?

EASY CHANGES
You can make TODAY
(with no $$)

LESS IS MORE
Weed your collec
ti
on & your furniture

MAKE SOME WALL SPACE
Take down shelves you don’t need

PLAY HOUSE
Rearrange your furniture

DIY DECOR
Alphabet Wall at Chris
ti
e Elementary
Photo courtesy of Jess Malloy

REIMAGINE EXISTING SPACES
Quiet reading room at Santa Fe Catholic
Photo courtesy of Wendy Lopez

MAKE BETTER SIGNS
Help students
fi
nd what they need

EMBRACE STUDENT CREATION
Empower students to design

SMALL INVESTMENTS
Paint, music, indoor plants, etc.

USE THE DESIGN PROCESS
Students help you dream
The Stewart Storage Cart

What is a change you can
make right away to start
transforming your library?

Dream Library Challenge
• 15-20 minutes
• At your table, work together to brainstorm
what library would look like with an unlimited
budget
• Using chart paper, markers and post-its, work
together to come up with a rough dra
ft
of
how the space is laid out
• Feel free to draw furniture and scenes or just
s
ti
ck to a layout.
• Be ready to share your space!

NEVER STOP DREAMING
Change won’t happen if
you just sit s
ti
ll

Resources: h

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